By Capitol Hill Community Council Secretary Elliot Helmbrecht
More than 80 people gathered at the Cal Anderson Shelter House on Thursday, December 18th to celebrate the inaugural Capitol Hill Community Council Winter Open House.
The event – sponsored in part from a grant awarded by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods – also provided the Capitol Hill Community Council with meaningful neighborhood input and advice that will guide their work in 2015. Posters were placed around the room during the duration of the event with header titles such as: “Affordability”, “Neighborhood Safety”, “Historic Preservation,” “Homelessness,” and many others. Attendees were each given six dot stickers upon their arrival and encouraged to vote for the issues that they viewed as the most important. Towards the end of the evening, the Capitol Hill Community Council members then put out another round of poster boards for the issues that received the most votes and encouraged neighbors to write down their ideas, hopes, and inspiration relating to each topic.
Celebration of community w/ #CapitolHillCommunityCouncil who make CH the best neighborhood in #seattle @jseattle pic.twitter.com/JgpcQf0L8R
— Tim Durkan (@timdurkan) December 19, 2014
The event was free and open to the public. Guests enjoyed live Brazilian jazz music by local band, Maracujá; food and drinks from local favorites like Caffé Vita, Hot Mama’s, and Cupcake Royale; and, short remarks from elected officials in attendance including: State Senator Jamie Pedersen, Seattle Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim, and City Council Members Sally Clark and Kshama Sawant.
Thanks to the work of community council Vice President Zachary Pullin and a friend from Gay City Health Project, the community council revealed their new look and logo!
The Capitol Hill Community Council plans to use the advice and suggestions from guests at the Open House to guide their neighborhood work in 2015. The opportunity provided for community connection, increased interest in our work and the improvement of the neighborhood, and allowed neighbors and more to get to know the new, re-energized cohort of community council members.
The Capitol Hill Community Council meets every third Thursday of the month. They will be discussing the results of the voting and will begin planning their work for the upcoming year at the next meeting on January 15th at 6:30 PM in the Cal Anderson Shelter House.
You can learn more at capitolhillcommunitycouncil.org.
